U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge apprehended Salvador Alberto Chipagua, a 70-year-old male United States citizen wanted by the San Juan and Donna, Texas Police Departments on child sexual assault charges.
“Our ability to check every arriving traveler by utilizing national law enforcement databases allows our officers to identify those individuals with outstanding arrest warrants, such as was the case with this traveler who had allegedly committed sexual offenses with a child,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas.
On May 31, 2021, Chipagua arrived from Mexico at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge pedestrian walkway and a primary computer check revealed that he was a possible match to an arrest warrant. CBP officers immediately secured and escorted him to secondary where biometric verification confirmed his identity along with the active arrest warrants from the San Juan and Donna Police Departments for sex-related charges involving a minor(s). Both police departments filed charges in 2020 against Chipagua for continuous sexual abuse of a young child, first-degree felonies and indecency with a child/fondling, second-degree felonies. The female victim(s) was four or five years old when these alleged crimes began but not reported for years.
CBP OFO arrested Chipagua and turned him over to the custody of the San Juan Police Department.
Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Visit CBP’s website for more information on the Immigration Inspection Program.
